On My Mind
by lightkeykid
Summary: Kairi loses a bet, and now it seems that everyone in her life is conspiring for her to pay the forfeit. She would have been fine if only it didn't involve a horse Dream Eater. All she wanted to do was spend some time with Sora. Maybe this woudn't end as badly as she expected?


Ah, Radiant Garden. Her one last chance at refuge. Kairi only hoped that this was her safe harbor. In the last 12 hours, she was cornered at home and run out of her own house on Destiny Islands. Then, they chased her to Twilight Town and would not let her live in peace, would they? She hurried along the outer edges of the borough. The others might not be able to find her here. With the reconstruction of the neighborhoods, Radiant Garden was a sprawling metropolis. If only for a few moments, she could rest easy.

This was, as usual, Sora's fault. He had to open his big mouth and tell his brothers and sister about the bet. She never should have taken the dare in the first place. How was she to know that Sora could swim farther than her now? If she knew, then maybe she wouldn't have taken such a silly forfeit. It was supposed to end with Sora dying his hair pink. Instead now, she had to do the unthinkable.

Kairi would have to ride a horse. Not just any horse, but a Pegaslick. Riku, who had been their judge for their contest, said that it had wings. So now, because of her shortsightedness, lest she go back on her word, she was doomed to ride a horse, the one animal in the worlds she could not stand.

Then he had to get the others involved; the others being Roxas, Xion, and Naminé.

"You know Kairi," Naminé started at lunch the other day. "It's not good to go back on your word. Sora won the bet fair and square, according to Riku. Just fulfill the forfeit, and we can move on."

Kairi's jaw dropped. Her own sister was betraying her. "Naminé!" She gasped. "You were once a part of me, and you're taking his side?"

She shrugged. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Yeah!" A voice piped up from outside the window. Kairi peeked her head outside to find Roxas and Xion crouching in the bushes.

"What are you two doing spying on our conversation?" Kairi was both confused and frustrated.

Xion waved sheepishly. "Sora wanted to remind you that you have until tonight to pay up." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"But he was too scared to tell you, so we decided to help," Roxas said.

Kairi let out a small growl. "I am not going to let the three of you pester me into the forfeit." She fled her parents home, leaving the three former Nobodies running after her. She ran until she reached her Gummiship. It was far beyond her old rowboat, and for that she was thankful. Her little boat wouldn't get her beyond their reach.

And so the three had followed her to Twilight Town, the Mysterious Tower, and even Disney Castle! She thought that King Mickey would at least take her side, but he apparently did not judge in matters of wagers and bets.

"Kairi, you should always pay your debts," he said softly to her during her stolen hour at the castle. She resisted making a face as she escaped (and not a moment too soon as Roxas's Gummi landed as hers departed).

All the running and fleeing brought her here of all places. Radiant Garden, the same place Sora asked her to meet him. He requested at the Bastion steps for the ride. He said he would wait until the end of day for her, which meant she had a at least an hour or two to think about her decision. She sat on the perch of one of the fountains and closed her eyes. This was as good a place as any to think.

The ring of her Gummiphone knocked her out of her reverie. Riku's name flashed on the screen. She quickly accepted the call and pasted on a wide smile.

"Riku!" She saw his Gummiship cockpit. He probably had the phone docked on his ship controls.

"Why did I get a call from the King to check up on you?" He asked. "Is everything okay?"

Oh that mouse, Kairi thought. She was going to have a talk with the Queen about his meddling. "The kids will not leave me alone! They keep pestering me about the bet." She jumped off her perch and walked toward the Bastion. Not because she accepted her defeat. She just wanted to stretch her legs.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You mean this is all about the bet? The one that you lost?"

"You don't have to remind me," she sulked.

"What do you have against horses anyway?"

"I once saw a horse beat a clown."

Riku made a face. "Really?"

Kairi shrugged. "It was probably a man in a costume, now that I think about it. Still, I just don't like them."

"That's a shame. Sora really got close to his Pegaslick when we were in the Sleeping Worlds."

"They are killing machines, and you know it."a

He laughed heartily. "This coming from the girl that jumped into a swarm of Heartless to save Sora."

A harsh chuckle came from off screen. "Is that Kairi? Tell her to pay up! My brother is waiting." She heard Vanitas's voice chime in.

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Tell him to stuff it."

"Okay, I gotta go. See you soon, Kai." Riku waved her off and ended the call.

"See you soon?" Kairi repeated. What did he mean by that? She looked up from the screen to find herself at the bottom of the steps. After focusing, she saw Sora waving down at her from the top.

"Eep!" She spun around to avoid looking at him. True to his promise, he had the Pegaslick with him. The winged horse was bright and awash with various colors and stood vividly against the bricks of the castle. She didn't have to look at Sora to know that he didn't expect anything from her. Even if she did owe him the forfeit, he would never force her to do anything. She knew that in her heart, and maybe that is why she took the first step up towards him. The remaining steps did not register as they were only a means to get to Sora.

Kairi stopped a bit short of Sora and hesitated. "Hi," she finally said with a small wave.

"You made it!" He exclaimed, then sobered. "I'm sorry for all of our siblings' nuisances. You didn't have to put up with them."

Truth be told, though it was annoying during the moment, Kairi appreciated the feeling of having pesky family members today. After all, didn't it mean that they cared about them? Even crotchety old Vanitas wanted to help in his own way.

She reached out to take his hand. "I was the stubborn one. I should've just faced my fears." She threaded her fingers with his.

"I just thought it would be…" He trailed off quietly and turned his head.

Kairi pulls it back toward her. "Would be what?"

"Romantic." He blushed. Blush was an understatement, truly. His entire face was red. "It's our anniversary, you know."

"Our what?" Kairi nearly squawked as he tugged her closer.

His lips lifted into a sly smirk. "Don't tell me you forgot," He teased. "One year ago, we shared the paopu fruit."

Had it really been a year since that moment in the sunset? "It's been a hectic year."

"You said you wanted to be part of my life no matter what. It worked; you're always on my mind. Without you, I don't think I could have faced my fears, then or now. Tonight, I wanted to help you face one of yours." Sora petted the Pegaslick with his free hand. "Want to face it together?"

Kairi looked at their joined hands and thought about it. No matter how small of a matter it may seem, this Dream Eater was part of Sora's life as well. Contrary to how she acted these last few days, Kairi did not go back on her word. No matter what. "Let's do it."

Sora's eyes met hers. "Really?!" He said gleefully.

"Do not push your luck, Sora." She moved closer to the Pegaslick. "How do we do this?"

He grabbed her by the waist (don't blush Kairi, do not blush!) and placed her on the makeshift saddle he arranged. "Hold on," he instructed as he climbed on behind her. Sora placed her hands on the reins and closed his left hand around hers.

"Are you ready?" He whispered.

She scrunched her eyes closed and his right arm tightened like a bar against her waist, he gave a small kick, and they lifted off.

Kairi felt the air rushing past her ears as they ascended into the sky. After a few moments, they slowed down and stabilized. She cracked one eye open and gasped. When she opened both eyes, she saw the second most beautiful sunset of her life. They glided above pink and orange clouds, seemingly in their own world.

"How majestic," she whispered, settling back against Sora's chest.

He let out a deep breath, one he must have held since they took off moments before. "I promised myself that one day I would take you flying with me. Granted, it's not the same as pixie dust-" She interrupted him. "It's even better." The serenity of experiencing twilight with him was incomparable, whether or not they needed help flying.

"Even though we are on a horse?" Sora asked in a slight tease. She nudged him with her elbow. The Pegaslick wasn't as bad as she imagined. It was a serene creature, neighing periodically.

Kairi didn't answer him, and instead, focused on the rays of sunset fading into the horizon. Night would soon follow. Sora circled the castle's highest parapet three times before beginning their descent.

"We're done already?"

He chuckled. "Just one more surprise." He maneuvered the Pegaslick onto a balcony on the parapet where a picnic blanket awaited them. He slid off the Dream Eater and lifted Kairi off deftly.

"Now admire the view from up here while I explain a few things." Kairi leaned against the balcony railing and watched as the neighborhoods below transitioned into the evening. During twilight's final moments, street lamps lit the streets snaking through the city. Night markets began trading their wares. Radiant Garden was once again the booming world it once was.

"I've told you about Rapunzel right?" Kairi nodded slightly. Her story hit very close to home. The only difference was that Rapunzel's parents looked for her for all these years while Kairi's family was nowhere to be found.

"Well, they found her by sending out lanterns every year on her birthday. She found her way back to them by following the light." Sora came to her side with a glowing paper lantern in his hands.

"Sora…" Kairi didn't know what to say.

"We've been separated so many times in our lives. We didn't need lanterns to find each other before. But maybe, we could spin the tradition our own way." He placed the lantern in her hand. "This lantern will be our reminder that there is always a light in the darkness to guide us. You already did it for me. Now let me be your light."

A tear streamed down her cheek. "Oh, Sora. You already are." With both their hands, they lifted the lone lantern into the night sky. For a single moment, it bounced against the breeze and lit up against the darkness. In the next moment, a second lantern lifted up from another part of the castle. Kairi looked down to see Roxas, Xion, and Naminé on a balcony. Another lantern floated up from their left. Was that Riku's silver hair she spied on another balcony? She couldn't trust her eyes because it seemed like he had both Ventus and Vanitas lifting up lanterns together. Before she knew it, hundreds of glowing lanterns lifted up from the city below them.

"What is all of this?" Kairi asked softly.

Sora lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. "Our destinies are intertwined and with them, our family. They all helped me pull off this night."

"Ah, so you are to blame for their pestering!" She poked him on the cheek.

He grinned. "Guilty."

"Well, you're simply lucky that I like them." She looped her arms around his neck and placed a small kiss on his nose. "And I really like you."


End file.
